Improvement in tail-board catches for wagons



H. HAVENS. Tail-Board (latch for Wagons No. 222,397. Patented Dec. 9,1879.

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UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE HIRAM HAVENS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT m TAlL -BOARD ICATCHES FOR WAGONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,397, dated December 9, 1879; application filed October 24, 1879.

i To all whom it may concerh Be it known that 1, HIRAM HAVENS, of

Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tail-Board Catches for Wagons; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a, person skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts.

My improvement relates to catches for bolding up the tail-board of wagons. As commonly constructed these consist of hasps or latches attached by a spring to the side-boards of the wagon-body, which enter into recesses or loops in the tail-board,and which are-ordinarily difficult to operate or open.

My improvement has for its object the furnishing of a catch which shall be more secure and durable than those heretofore employed,

as well as being more easily operated.

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as willbe hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a top view of my improved catch as applied to one end of the tail-board of a wagon, with the top side of the box containing the spring removed, so as to show the interior a parts. Fig. 2 shows a view from the rear of the wagon. Fig. 3 shows a side view of the a part attached to the tail-board.

A shows part of the side of a wagon body. 13 shows the end of the tail-board as it is turned up and rests against the side. C is-a box, consisting of two sides and a bottom,

formed of cast-iron or other suitable material, which is attached to the end of the tail-hoard by screws or bolts, as shown in the drawings. D is a bent lever turning upon the pivot-pin E, which passes through the sides of the box C. This lever has at its forward end the hook D, and at the opposite end it bends around the back of the tail-board and lies just within the sides of the box C, forming a thumb-latch, H,

by the pressing of which the hook D is forced Outward. F is a spring, attached to the bottom of the box C at one end, and operating outward at the other upon the arm of the-lever D, which forms the thumb-latch. G is a piece attached to the outside of the side of the wagon-body by screws or otherwise, as

shown in the drawings. It is furnished with' the hook G, which engages the hook D when the tail -board is raised, as in the position shown. The parts D and G can be made of cast or malleable iron, or of any suitable metal.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: In the position shown in the drawings thetailboard is raised and hooked. When it is desired to let it down the top is held by the hands and the two thumbs pressed upon. the

and more secure than those in ordinary use;

it can be easily and readily operated to let down the tail-board when desired, and can readily be attached to wagons as ordinarily constructed.

What I claim as my invention is--- 1. The combination of the box C, the lever- D, with its book D and thumb-latch H, the

spring F, and the plate G, with its book G, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a wagon-body, of the spring-hook D, provided with a thumblatch, H, attached to the tail-board, and the hooked plate G, attached to the side, substantially as described. 1

HIRAM HAVEN S.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. ELLIS, WENDELL R. CURTIS. 

